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Hong Kong's first Orthetrum albistylum (Selys, 1848) recorded by Dragonfly Working Group

A dragonfly species new to Hong Kong, Orthetrum albistylum (White-tailed Skimmer), has been recorded by AFCD staff in Northwest New Territories recently. On 26 September 2018, AFCD Dragonfly Working Group observed and captured a male O. albistylum in the Hong Kong Wetland Park. Orthetrum albistylum is a medium-sized libellulid dragonfly inhabiting open ponds and lakes. The mature male is pruinose pale blue with black abdominal segments 7-10 and white upper anal appendages. Females resemble immature males which are overall yellowish green, with dark stripes near the dorsum of abdominal segments 1-6. Its abdominal segments 7-9 are black while the last segment and the upper anal appendages are white.

Orthetrum albistylum has a widespread distribution which it is not only found in central and south Europe but also occurs patchily in Asia (including China, Japan, Korea, Russia and Turkey). In China, this species is more commonly found in the northern part and upland areas, but populations in southern part such as Taipei and Nanling in Guangdong Province are also stable. Interestingly, O. albistylum was also newly recorded in Huizhou (Guangdong Province) this year so it was not impossible that the record in Hong Kong was the result of immigration from the Guangdong populations. The species is considered as vagrant at this stage and its status in Hong Kong awaits further observation.

Acknowledgement: We would like to thank Dr. Zhang Hao-miao for his provision of information about the distribution of Orthetrum albistylum in China.

Male This link will open in a new windowOrthetrum albistylum